Pulled over last night in South Florida...my experiences...

This is a discussion on Pulled over last night in South Florida...my experiences... within the Concealed Carry Issues & Discussions forums, part of the Defensive Carry Discussions category; Razor:
Honestly I don't understand why the need to find contradictions in my post. Because I respect LE does not mean all LE's are perfect, ...

Honestly I don't understand why the need to find contradictions in my post. Because I respect LE does not mean all LE's are perfect, nor good cops. I can maintain a respect for LE and still protect myself should a bad apple exist. There are all kinds of people, both good and bad. I respect priests, but also recognize that not all priests are good people.

Do you respect mothers? If that is true do you respect every woman that has given birth?

Wanting the opinion of LE is simply my interest in knowing other LE point of view of what happened.

Why do you feel the need to take the tone you have? I have every right to ask others point of view on this forum, no?

Honestly, why don't we keep this on a positive tone so that we can all learn from the experience rather than finding a reason to go negative?

First, I do appreciate you sharing as well as the feedback on your experience. I was concerned that you were escalating the possibility, if not talking yourself into, a cop with a vendetta.

Second, you seemed to deny the facts of the statutes themselves and continue on asking now for LE to chime in. I imagine LE would not chime in with a personality that contradicts respecting all LE and continues denying the answers with statutes given.

I just joined. This thread caught my eye. I'm in South FL. Broward county.

Was this BSO or a local cop? I have a CCW & carry a G27.
When I took my class I was told that there is no 3 step rule. Only a 2 step. FL section 7.90 confirms this. However some local cops may say there are 3 just to break balls & give an excuse to run you in.

Your lucky that FHP was there or that guy would have run you in. Happened to a friend of mine that doesn't have CCW. The Hialeah cops said there was a 3 step. He was arrested & car impounded. Of course in court he got off cause there was no such thing, but still he had to go through all that.

I only started carrying in January & have yet to be pulled over.
I'm hopeful I don't run into any problems.

With all the gun mess in south FL, shootings, CCW permits apps through the roof, ammo madness etc, makes everyone LEO or not a bit on edge.

yeah, last i heard down here it was a 2 step, not a 3 step procedure, to gain access to your gun.

I'm a bit late on this but I asked a boca PD guy about this and he told me that it has to be in the trunk, and if I didn't have my CCW, he'd arrest me...

listen man, you can't argue with the POHLICE... good idea is to keep a copy in the car

Although I agree with the sentiment, there is no excuse for letting an uninformed LEO screw with the law and the Second Amendment. I agree with lodging a "complaint" with the local agency in which you should very politely describe the event and quote the relevant Florida Statutes. If anything to avoid somebody else having to go through the same distasteful experience.

Sounds like a FTO and a rook... he probably still gets excited when he turns on the lights and sirens. You said you were pulled over at night, with the exception of not turning on your dome light, I say you did a great job

I had 3 different CCW teachers say that some PD's will say it's 3. No matter what.
No complaint, or bitching to them is going to change their mind.
They advised to keep it 3 barriers if you don't have a CCW.

yeah, last i heard down here it was a 2 step, not a 3 step procedure, to gain access to your gun.

There is no 2 step rule. There is no 3 step rule.

Fl law just says that it has to be secured

From the Florida statutes....
790.25 lawful ownership, possession, and use of firearms and other weapons
(5) possession in private conveyance. Notwithstanding subsection (2), it is lawful
and is not a violation of s. 790.01 for a person 18 years of age or older to possess a concealed firearm or other weapon for selfdefense or other lawful purpose within the interior of a private conveyance, without a license, if the firearm or other weapon is securely encased or is otherwise not readily accessible for immediate use. Nothing herein contained prohibits the carrying of a legal firearm other than a handgun anywhere in a private conveyance when such firearm is being carried for a lawful use. Nothing herein contained shall be construed to authorize the carrying of a concealed firearm or other weapon on the person. This subsection shall be liberally construed
in favor of the lawful use, ownership, and possession of firearms and other weapons, including lawful selfdefense as provided in s. 776.012.

790.001 definitions. As used in this chapter, except where the context otherwise requires:
(17) "securely encased" means in a glove compartment, whether or not locked; snapped in a holster; in a gun case, whether or not locked; in a zippered gun case; or in a closed box or container which requires a lid or cover to be opened for access.

There are semi-colons after each clause in the definition. This means that they are separate and stand alone. They don't build on each other to form a 2 or 3 step rule. To put it another way "securely encased" means one of these:

1. in a glove compartment, whether or not locked

2. snapped in a holster

3. in a gun case, whether or not locked

4. in a zippered gun case

5. in a closed box or container which requires a lid or cover to be opened for access

Before I got my license I carried my firearm snapped in a holster which was kept in my glove box most of the time. When I was in a dangerous area it was moved to the closed center console but still snapped in the holster.

I do volunteer wildlife rescues, and had just walked in the door from a few mile run when a call came in. I grabbed my keys, gun, cage and my wife and I headed out, trying to make the pick up and drop it off before the center closed for the night. The rescue was just on the other side of town and just as I'm pulling up to the gated community the lights pop on behind me. I didn't do anything wrong so I was wondering why he was pulling me over, anyway I look down for my wallet- not there- CRAP. I ask my wife if she has hers- no -CRAP. No license, no registration, no insurance - I keep all of that in my wallet....I do have my loaded Glock in my covered center console though. Officer comes up asks for my papers, I give him the quick explanation of what is going on. He tells me the vehicle is coming up stolen (weird since I bought it new of the lot) then he asks the magic question; any weapons? Hands on the wheel I tell him yes and where it is. He invites me to step outside, up against his hood checks me, then secures the gun. Now three of his friends stop by, luckily I recognized one, and more importantly he recognized me from a roadway rescue I had done and things settled down.

Officer #1 asks why I have it, I explain that we drop off the rescues in a not great area, after hours. He tells me that if I'm going to have it I should go ahead get my CCW and let's me go without any more grief or tickets for no documents. Needles to say I took his advice and both my wife and I have our CCW's.

Here in Palm Beach County, just North of Broward, I had very different experiences.
True, 20 years ago when the CCW passed, the Sheriff was adamantly against; he would not give application or fingerprints ... didn't last long.
But for the last few years I never had a problem with the PBSO, FHP or other LE agency. I noticed that when I have my pilot uniform, I get a little better treatment , at first, then when I ride my Harley in black leathers; after a few minutes, it evens out.
Most of the stops were for defective taillights; I live on a bad dirt road, bulbs don't like it.
I am always courteous, but not submissive, and I always disclose (not mandatory in Florida), saying something like: "I am not obligated to tell you, but by courtesy and to avoid any misunderstanding, I have a CCW and my Glock in a holster on my right hip; how would you likeme to proceed ?"
Never asked or told to disarm, usually it is "Thanks for letting me know" sometimes "Don't touch it", eventually we get in a dicussion about the merit of SIG vs. Glock and most of the time I am on my way without a ticket.
A trooper I gave flight instruction to, told me "the longer you chat with an officer the better chance you have to avoid a fine as long as you don't lie to him". It worked for me ... so far.

One of my principles: "If you give respect, you get respect" or like Sonny Barger (the founder of the Hells Angels) used to say:
"Treat me well, I'll treat you better, treat me bad, I'll treat you worse"

Ive had to think alot about this, and frankly the local guy was a jerk. Ive been around Sheriffs, Police, State Troopers, heck almost the entire Sheriff department knows me personnally do to my father.
I would lodge a complaint, or else the locals are going to let this behavior continue. Now I will warn you this might result in everytime you are driving seeing a local LEO in the rearview, so that is one thing to think about.